


Diamond Dust

by orphan_account



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Diamond Dust - Freeform, First Meetings, For Lugia Anyways, Jouto-chihou | Johto, Love at First Sight, M/M, Mt. Shirogane | Mt. Silver
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-10
Updated: 2016-10-10
Packaged: 2018-08-20 12:54:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8249828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Over the span of a decade I never talked to my counterpart, not once. We lived apart, torn by our responsibilities. In fact, in those long ten years of solitude the only knowledge I obtained of them was that they would often abide on the top of the tallest mountain’s summit.There was one thing I did know, and that was that I would do anything to meet them.





	

    Oh, but how the tribespeople and young humans pleaded with me to stay with them. Their heavy embraces pinned me down to the ground where the fresh snow had just fallen, cooling my belly. Their words were blanketed with concern and worry, likely because I had expressed interest in going to the mountains. Both of us were aware of who lived up there are what are they capable of. They must have thought I would leave and never return, and looking back, the irony of it all made my heart ache.

 

    This was the only time of the year that the terrifying blizzards belonging the mountains of Johto would quell, and was an alleged time of good luck. The tribespeople read of it as a blessing of a new year and wouldn’t hesitate to dance and sing as a way to express their happiness to be alive. They were optimistic about everything.

    

     Well, almost everything. If there was one topic they would refuse to speak about, it was my counterpart. 

    

    Over the span of a decade I had never talked to my counterpart, not once. We lived apart, torn by our responsibilities. In fact, in those long ten years of solitude the only knowledge I obtained of them was that they would often abide on the top of the tallest mountain’s summit. 

    

    It wasn't useful information, because the mountains were unreachable by everyone except the organisms that could live through daily blizzards. My feathered wings would not be able to withstand the brutality of the winds, and death was almost certain. I sadly had to admit that I would not see them anytime soon.

    

    And then a miracle came in the form of an exception. Allegedly, on the first day of the newest year, the snowfall lessened and it was possible to reach the summit even with weaker wings. It was because the snow was replaced with something much softer, and a lot less violent. They called it diamond dust, and it was a phenomenon I hadn't heard of until now. It gave me a glimmer of hope that I could brave the normally savage ecosystem, and I had a month to anticipate and dream as I waited.

 

    If I was able to fly through the diamond dust, then there was a perfect opportunity to meet my counterpart face to face. Up until this point, I had barely seen a glimpse of them. Maybe a flash of silver in the clouds on a rainy morning, but otherwise, null. It frustrated me, because as creatures of harmony we were expected to get along. The tribespeople had always assured me that we did get along, and that’s why Johto was prospering. For quite some time, I bought into it, and believed our separation was for the better.

 

    However, it only opened the opportunity for my own curiosity to consume me. Just who was my counterpart, and what did they stand for? With each rare encounter I found myself digging deeper information, even consulting the leader of the tribe on what she had known. It was by my belief that she summoned us into being using the power of the Unown, so I was sure she had some background knowledge of the great beast that soared above the drizzling sheets of white in the sky. Kotone kept her quiet, letting out not a peep at my request. It was an unspoken rule to not speak their name, in fear of bad luck.

 

    How ridiculous. 

 

    There was a stigma that if I was good, they had to be bad. We were counterparts, and the definition of counterpart was a group of two individuals that were total opposites in terms of power and personality. If I was a gentle giant that protected them and laughed with them, then the beast would only seek to bring their destruction. They already had seen the devastation of the power the guardian held, evident by the hurricane-like winds that sliced the Whirl Islands into four equal parts on the brink of Johto’s first, and only war. As a result, Johto’s people feared that the same power would be turned on them, and lead to their own extinction. They hated everything my counterpart stood for, even though they had never even met them.

 

    In hindsight, I couldn’t really blame them either. Refugees from a distant land - in their tongue known only as Hoenn - that looked to farm our country and create a better life for themselves shared their history regarding their own guardians. They spoke with ugly fondness of two beasts, one that churned the sea, and another that roamed the land. The feuds between the two that spawned because of their differences gave birth to a decade of destruction that left the inhabitants of the islands with an unsolvable plight. It was only thanks to a third, more powerful guardian of the skies that the war came to a tragic end, and even then there was a global catastrophe that kept the land barren for generations. 

 

    I refused to let old stories blind a good chance of friendship, and I made it known. Even if we were different, we had never shared teeth or been jealous of the other. This turn of events worried our subjects, and it led to my eventual departure. Their disapproval only strengthened my resolve.

 

    With little regrets, I took to the early morning skies on the first day of the newest year with sprinkled dew coating my vibrant feathers. I didn’t mind the dampness, and took the opportunity to admire the sights of a region that still slept. Not even the Murkrow were singing yet, and the land below was relatively silent. It gave new insight for how much the tribespeople would sacrifice to continue making traditional offerings to the Unown. Waking up before the crack of dawn couldn’t be easy, but it was something they did regardless to show their thanks for the birth of two beautiful legends. A part of me revels in their dignity, and I can’t help but smile fondly at our early creators.

 

    Those warm thoughts stuck with me as I climbed in altitude near the eastern border of our country. The howling wind embraced my feathers with irritation and tried to push me back, but it was nothing I couldn’t handle. If anything, it was early preparation for what was ahead. Even on the first day of the new year, the snow here would be brittle and unwelcoming and would only escalate the farther I went up. 

 

    I was already taking a chance coming here and trying to face off against this mountain’s wrath. The possibility that a light flurry would evolve into a terrifying blizzard that would ground me until frostbite took care of the rest was overwhelmingly likely, and the only assurance I had was a few tall tales spread around by the elderly. My golden crown lightly shook as I visibly tried to push away those thoughts and keep positive. I had a counterpart to meet up with, and this was the only chance I had this year to see them in the flesh.

 

    Around the midway point, snow started to descend. I could feel cold patches start to form on my cheeks and upper back, as well as a slight freeze of my feathers. As a fire type, it was easy to release some of my inner flames to warm up parts of me that were beginning to show reluctance and then continue on. The furnace inside my chest kept burning in wait of what might be ahead.

 

    I could see the odd Sneasel or two scaling the mountain, but otherwise it was just as quiet as it had been down in the mainlands. The rocky exterior of the structure was turning from a bronze mixture to a glimmering silver, one that blended in seamlessly with the snowfall. It led me to question which tale was true, the one that claimed the mountain was named after its colour, or the one that says it was named after the beast. Either or would suffice, though I seriously doubted one of our people, the ones that were small in size and thickly robed, would ever manage to make it this high up, I was already in the warning zone, and on a normal day would be recommended to not ascend higher.

 

    But today wasn’t a normal day. I soared through the barrier of clouds and mist with precision and twirled to get the residue off of my shoulders. My rainbow-hued tips danced and mingled with the monotone colours of the environments here, and my happiness brought out a fresh ray of sunshine. It struggled to remain visibly in the soot-like atmosphere, but my eyes could still catch a stray beam on my climb to the summit.

 

    It wrestled a fresh laugh from myself, who was still a physical mixture of anxiety and excitement. This place was beautiful, even with all of the danger it held. I could see why a creature of ice would love to make a home here, that and the added chance of being graced with my counterparts presence.

 

    My mind was quick to start making assumptions as I continued on my journey. Were they going to be a more serious wall that blocked my happier aura? Maybe so, or they could be even happier. Was I the one that was the downer of the two of us? I failed to pay attention, and almost made contact with a sharp stabbing pillar of stone that projected from one of the mountain’s cliffs. A wheeze of surprise escaped my beak, and I made a sharp turn to escape the clutches of sibling projectiles that were ahead.

 

    Only once I was out of the way of free standing rock pillars did I let my thoughts take over. The tribespeople had described my counterpart as a beast as cold as the snow, but never defined if they were talking about their personality or appearance. There was no doubt that it was silver and gray, even I had seen that, but I couldn’t believe the legend was anything other than hospitable. It wasn’t like the people would have known who they were either, as the humans were always too afraid to even speak of the other legend. One tribesman had defended the claims by saying there was another tribe south of ours on the island closest to the Whirl Islands that spoke directly with the storm legend. I looked into it, but found nothing to back up such a claim.

 

    The wind was picking up at a staggering rate, and the snowfall got heavier and heavier. Some of it built up on my back, only to melt under the intense heat that was residing there. It trickled away and froze over again, in an endless cycle that only somewhat agitated me. I found myself grunting as I poured all my energy into ensuring I make it to the summit. 

 

    It couldn’t be far at this point, as the general mid-section of the mountain was getting thinner with each flap of my wings. The pathways used by the smaller Pokemon were barely a foot-width wide, and scaling the mountain would be impossible for a human at this point. As if to assure this claim, the wind howled a shrieking tune and blasted me hard enough to send me spiralling out of control for a good minute. I lost my sense of direction and floundered about with a mask of confusion as I waited for my body to correct itself.

 

    And then, as soon as it had started, it stopped. I broke through the last bastion of resistance there was, and was graced with a sight only befitting of divine eyes. The wretched storm that should have been here had vanished, and in its place was a blanket of glimmering rainbow-like shards. The colours were indescribable, and the way the varying amount of light hit them almost gave off the impression of an optical illusion.

 

    “Diamond dust,” I mumbled to no one in particular. I had only heard stories of what it was like, but never witnessed it in person. Apparently, far off in the distant land, it was common, but here it was a rare phenomenon. My heart slowed in relief after realizing that the legends of calamity were true, and I wouldn’t have to fend for myself against the elements like I would on any other day of the year. Letting out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, I landed on the ground closest to a rock structure that protected unsuspecting visitors from falling over the ledge, and let out an undignified squeak when my talons sank deeper than expected. The snow dumped on the ground by previous blizzards had not yet been cleared, and made it almost impossible to walk without having a few feet of height on themselves.

 

    It was a bit of a struggle to keep moving, but with the lack of wind promoting the difficulty I was able to keep gaining lengths. My legs ached under the pressure I was administering to them, and I knew I would regretting this journey once I was finished doing what I came here to do. Instead, I blocked out the physical ailments with more questions about this mysterious legend. WIth my mind distracted, the suffocating cold faded into a numb ring.

 

     In the off times I did see them, I was unable to tell what their body structure looked like. This frozen wilderness alone proved they had to be capable of withstanding the requirements Mountain Silver asked of them with ease. I began to doubt they could be feathered, because even my wings, crafted to fly the world, were crumbling under the sheets of snow and ice.

 

    That’s when I noticed something that stuck out from the rest of the snowy wasteland. At first glance, one would simply assume it was a mound of snow and nothing else, but a closer look revealed there was more than what meets the eye.

 

    The scales and feathers were almost ghostly pale, and though the protrusions on their back contrasted the snow, I could still find my eyes struggling to close in on them. By now the creature had risen their head to see what had disturbed the serene, yet violent calm of the mountain, and looked none the more surprised when they saw me. My first thoughts were that they would either ignore me or chase me away, but they did neither, and simply turned over so that they could properly stand. Around us the raining diamond dust had halted its barrage, to my relief. 

 

    Unfortunately, it was a brief relent, as no sooner had it stopped my counterpart was creeping close, something relatively close to amusement dancing in those brilliant amber eyes.

 

    “ _I wonder what brings you here, counterpart._ ” The use of telepathy sent a shockwave of surprise hurdling through me, and I momentarily froze from where I was hunched over. It was distinctly male, with a warm edge that resonated with age. Despite this, it still sounded youthful and prosperous, a mirror of my own. It left a good first impression, one that told me he was wise and thoughtful.

 

    Standing in place, I tried to look for the words that fit what I was trying to say. I had so many questions, so many things I wanted to know. It seemed that deep down, I never  _actually_  expected to find him here. The realization that I was unprepared to meet him despite my enthusiasm almost made me turn my head away in embarrassment. He was likely much more composed than I would ever be.

 

    When I didn’t answer, the beast exhaled a blast of cold air. The needle sharp pupils of his were studying me with intensity, and only revealed bits and pieces of interest that I could pick up on. A brief wave of discomfort washed up and receded as I patiently waited for him to spit out his opinion of me. I must have looked like a washed up Fearow, barely able to stand his own in the eyes of someone he was supposed to be equal to. I knew I was better than this.

 

    But life couldn’t give me a break, and my brief period of concentration was broken when the beast took a step closer and flared his wings outwards, barking out a roar that echoed in and out of the peaks that encaged us. I shouldn’t have known what it meant, but I did. It was almost as if it was a personal connection we had established beforehand. On his call, the hail resumed, and it got dark,  _oh so much darker_. I found myself squinting under the hold of the storm, which was approaching us rapidly from all around. The beast looked on, waiting for me to reciprocate the welcome.

 

    I did, with as much of my grandeur as I could manage. Removing myself from the awkward position, I stood and opened my wings, demonstrating the dazzling colours that were fantasized about in this land and in others. The inner furnace of mine expelled all of the heat it had built up as I cried out to the heavens above, and the diamond dust nearby burned up in a mist of small proportions. The aftermath sparkled and rained down on the both of us, the sight becoming enough to distant me from the snow that had melted in the circumference around me. My talons were finally meeting stone instead of snow, and I let out a sigh at the loss of ice cold prickling bothering my lower half.

 

    The sun was unable to break through the clouds this time because of geographical location, but it did do a number on the storm. My powers suppressed what might have been ferocious winds, and instead we were met with a light tickle of gale that couldn’t do more that dislodge a Pidgey from a branch. Unbeknownst to both of us, it was a challenge that all counterparts underwent. Our instinct meant we needed to prove the other one was worthy, and failure would not be tolerated. Thankfully, it seemed we fit each other enough to not warrant one to chase the other away.

 

    With the introductions over and done with, the awkward atmosphere set into us once again. I was a bit too busy ogling the other to care though, and I let my eyes take in the details I have never been allowed to focus on before. His body was shaped like that of a wyvern, supported by two talon-like legs that were thick and resonating with strength. Plastered to his sides were a set of graceful wings with spiked ends lined with webbing. They were  _huge_ , bigger than my entire body without a doubt. I knew that he would require certain assets to survive up here, but I never took into account the grand size he would have been. 

 

    I can’t believe a part of me expected him to be equal to my own size.

 

    To see a giant beast complete with the intimidating appearance I thought the tribespeople were lying about certainly made me second guess myself and take a step back.

 

    “Wow,” I breathed, “You’re huge.”

 

    The creature reared its head back, though not in disgust. It was more an action done out of uncertainty combined with some uneasiness. 

 

    “ _Is there something wrong with my size?_ ” He asked, relying on telepathy once more. He seemed rather reserved, and the question made me realize that my choice of words may not have been the brightest. I internally smacked myself for not using a more formal introduction.

 

    “Oh no, not in the slightest! My apologies if I came off as rude, it’s just I’ve never seen someone as big as you before. It’s incredible, really. I had my doubts that anyone could scale this mountain, but now I know it’s rather possible,” I blabbered out, trying to redeem myself, “You’re really quite beautiful. It kind of took my words away there at first. I’ve been waiting to meet you for such a long time, and it resulted in a lot of different scenarios on what would happen when we did get a chance to talk.” My words came out before I could stop them, betraying my inner child.

 

    The tension snapped, and the legend’s eyes softened once he realized my intentions. “ _You’ve seemed to have found your way up here on your own, I’ll give you that much. I would tell you that your appearance is satisfactory as well, but I’m sure you hear that rather often_.”

 

    “It’s a common occurrence, that’s for sure.” I hastily pecked at my lower belly to remove an out of place white feather that had been bothering me. “My name is Ho-Oh by the way. I apologize for not telling you earlier. I was still trying to get a sense of my words.”

 

    “ _Believe me, I know,_ ” I shrank back, flushed, “ _But you have no need for all of this apologizing. You’ll make me feel bad if you keep this up._ ” It was meant as a jab of distant humour, but my inner insecurities still jotted down notes on how to not be overly annoying with my formal attire. I needed to be professional, but not enough to make him uncomfortable. He was not like the immaculate members of the tribe that oozed the constant need for respect, he was my counterpart.

 

    The thinking did help me discover one thing, that being that I had yet to find out his name. The silver sparkling creature, as the villagers had named him, was inadequate. Oh but how to spring the topic on him. I didn’t want to be rude or make him more uncomfortable. Maybe I could sprinkle it in over a conversation? No, it wasn’t important. I didn’t need to know.

 

    “ _My name is Lugia,_ ” He interrupted, “ _If that answers your question._ ” I looked up with astonishment, my words stolen once more. Lugia flicked his tail warily, drawing his wings in close.

 

    “ _Forgive me for thrusting a bombshell on you, but I’m very much a psychic type. Your thoughts are very loud counterpart_.” I ruffled my feathers, trying to make myself look as small as possible. Now I just felt rude. 

 

    “A psychic,” I let it roll off of my tongue, “I never expected that.”

 

    “ _Someone has to control the rainfall and break the storms. Being an avian-like creature wouldn’t be enough, I needed a kick of something that would make me fearsome both to the tempests and to the people of Johto. That is why I inherited the Unown’s own typing during my creation._ ” His eye-fins widened compactly, and his tail swished by, barely missing bowling me over. The revelation of just what extent Lugia’s powers stretched to made my mind come up with so many possibilities. I had been expecting a titan of ice, or even shadow, but never a psychic. It was exhilarating, and caught my attention quicker than expected.

 

    “That’s quite some responsibility you’ve taken on there Lugia.” It was the first time I had said his name, and looked to be the first time he had heard someone say it as well. There was a flash of discomfort, but it faded just as quickly as it had arrived. “I’m sor-“ I cleared my throat, “Excuse me, if you’d prefer I not say your name then I will stop.”

 

    “ _You’re too kind to me counterpart, but I must say I don’t mind. It’s uncommon for anyone to know my name on a daily occasion, so I may need to adjust_.” Lugia sat back down. “Y _ou look so out of place here among the snow. You were a bit foolish to come up here despite knowing how dangerous the journey is. I’m not worth the broken wings._ ”

 

    I craned my head, squinting slightly. “What does that make you, staying up here by yourself?”

 

    Lugia’s attention was drawn back to me, and I could feel him sizing me up again with easy concentration. If I had teeth, I would have bitten my tongue for the remark. I didn’t yet have the liberties of lightening the mood, especially since it might only serve to act as an insult to him. Lugia, however, thought different.  From his powerful jaws escaped a rough laugh that smoothed out into a warm chuckle that fluffed my feathers. Those eyes of his that were so used to drawing me in were entertained.

 

    “ _What a cheeky little thing. Already braving the waters, aren’t you?_ ” I looked down at the speckled surface of the stones underneath my legs, feeling unworthy of meeting his regard. This wasn’t going like I had planned, and if I wasn’t looking forward to this so much I probably would have regretted my decision to come here. Instead, I found a happy surge to know that Lugia’s company was nice. He wasn’t a terrifying beast, he was a legend just like me, and one that could find humour in my predicament.

 

    “ _Hey_ ,” He piped, “ _Ho-Oh. You look as wary as a newborn Furret. Don’t take yourself so seriously, I like a bit of fire in a counterpart. It sets you apart._ ” His tail was creeping forward, the sound of rough scales against the rocky surface producing a shrieking noise. The tip of the double finned mermaid-like protrusion edged around my backside and nudged me forward incessantly. I couldn’t help but follow its lead and move forward until I was in Lugia’s personal bubble and in reach of his teeth. A normal Pokemon may have been frightened, but I found that more distracting than his appearance was his personality. It wasn’t at all like I had been expecting.

 

    The air around us was crackling like a fire, and it took me a moment to realize that it was because Lugia was using some kind of psychic energy. Probably reading my mind for some clues on something. It should have bothered me, but I wanted to trust him, just as I hope he trusted me. Still trying to hold onto my composure, I looked for something to say, something normal.

 

    “How come I never see you around Lugia?” I thought it wouldn’t be too much of a leap to ask. Lugia made a motion that looked like he was chewing before he let out a breath of hot air that dissolved into a transparent cloud.

 

    “ _I have no reason to talk to the mortals of Johto. That’s your responsibility._ ”

 

    “I understand that, but I thought you would be the least bit curious about who I was.”

 

    “ _Is that what you’re worried about? Oh trust me, I thought about going down there to pluck a feather or two from you every once in a while, but everyone I talked to made you sound like a bit of a high held legend that wouldn’t want to associate with me_.”

 

    My chest felt a bit heavy, and I couldn’t help but sound out an embarrassed trill. “Seems like the Johto tribes people like to butter up my image.”

 

    “ _That’s a bit of an understatement_ ,” Lugia chuckled, arching his back so that his spikes rose, “ _But I understand that you had little to do with it. This has been just as informative to me as it has been to you_.”

 

    A comfortable silence cloaked us, dousing the ambience with a needed breather. I looked over everything he had said, and what impression he had given off. He wasn’t the same as me, but he wasn’t much different either. A part of us just seemed to fit, and it was clawing at me with persistence. I hope the tribespeople didn’t expect me to hate him after all of this.

 

    It made me feel a bit sad to know that I probably wouldn’t see him for another year.

 

    “ _Looks like we’re not very good counterparts_ ,” Lugia commented, likely still processing what I was thinking. I nodded my head in agreement, and chirped when a shard of diamond dust brushed by the feathered eyelashes of mine.

 

    From there on out, we conversed as we would with any other Pokemon. It wasn’t formal or informative, but a run of the mill talk that only served to help me get to know him better. He taught me about some of his psychic abilities, even demonstrating them by lifting me up high enough for me to look at him head-on without him needing to bend over. The energy that coursed through me was unlike any other, and reminded me of just how powerful Lugia was to have that much control. Sure, I had come across the native Espeon or Xatu that had demonstrated similar techniques, but they never harnessed the raw ability that Lugia carried with ease.

 

    In turn, I told him stories of what I had seen on my travels, and described in great detail what our land looked like. Everything from the eastern waterfalls to the ocean’s shimmering surface in the west was elaborated on, and once I started, I couldn’t stop. If Lugia was irritated he didn’t show any signs of it, and looked to be just as enraptured as I was when I recounted some of my favourite memories.

 

    The final act of trust was when I offered to demonstrate my own Sacred Fire. It was something I originally brought up by accident, but once the thought was put in his head Lugia was hooked. He bugged me until I found the courage to spit forth a barrage of flames on some of the rocks as verification. The iridescent colours livened up the lightening skies, and added a source of warmth that I didn’t know I needed. Lugia ended up creeping close to examine them, and sniffed the stones where the source of it burned. There was no smoke, but more importantly, there was no source. The fire was burning on its own, and didn’t hurt Lugia when he leaned in to let it touch his muzzle.

 

    “ _Fascinating_ ,” The volume of his inner voice dropped dramatically, not bothering to hide his amazement, “ _I haven’t seen anything like it._ ”

 

    “It burns hotter than any kind of fire out there, and is easily devastating if you come into contact with it when I don’t trust you,” I explained, “But it can also heal any injury and burn the lands back to life, if I so wish.”

 

    Lugia shot me a charmed look, and met my confused stare with a simple, “ _Oh Ho-Oh, I’m flattered_.” Then went on to explain why he couldn’t show off his own signature move without damning the world to storms for a good forty days. I felt a bit disappointed, but didn’t pay much mind to it. It was likely something Lugia didn’t feel comfortable showing, so I had no right to pry.

 

    The diamond dust never relented the whole time, and three hours into our exchange my back was heavy with sparkling residue. Some of the healers in the underground village of the Alph Ruins said that the snow was so magical that it could heal any injury, and though I severely doubted snow of all things could do that, I couldn’t help but bunch some of the crystals into the feathers of my belly using my beak. Lugia was quiet, but it didn’t take a casual observer to know that he was watching my every move. Possibly he was just as intrigued with me as I was with him.

 

    Unfortunately, near the late afternoon the snow started to pick up, and Lugia informed me that it would only get worse with time. I reluctantly agreed, and remembered that the village people would want me back without much harm. As much as I hated to admit it, I couldn’t stay, which hurt because I was starting to get really invested in this encounter. My counterpart didn’t look too happy about it either, but did we really have a choice?

 

    “Hey, Lugia.” He shifted his gaze from the remnants of the fire to look at me. “Thank you for speaking with me.” He said nothing in response, but blinked several times to acknowledge my voice. I felt a bit subdued again, but in my mind shined an idea spawned from the conversation that took place earlier. I unfolded one of my long wings and preened until I found what I was looking for, a rainbow wing. 

 

    Unlike all of my other feathers, this one had one of every colour. It was one of my rarest possessions, with me only having three of them on each respective wing. The only other person I had gifted one to was the leader of the tribe, but I felt my counterpart should have one as well. With caution, I pulled it out from where it was nestled and winced at the brief flick of pain. Only once the elongated feather was torn loose, I presented it to Lugia with hopeful eyes.

 

    “There’s a rumour going around that having my feather grants eternal happiness. You mentioned plucking some from me early, so I thought it would be a nice touch. At least now you can’t forget me.” Lugia didn’t look at the feather, and kept his eyes on me. The only indication that he had seen the feather was the golden glow that encompassed the area of the rainbow wing and as he tugged it out of my beak.

 

    “ _Hm_.” The guardian brought it closer, then finally broke our gaze to inspect it. “ _Quite lovely plumage you have there. I don’t know too much about eternal happiness, but I accept it nonetheless. Allow me to do the same in turn_.” A silver feather levitated in my general direction mere moments after his voice travelled through my head. Unlike mine, it was forked, and the end of it was shiny with the hints of silver scales. It could easily pass for having diamonds on it, and without hesitation, I plucked it out from where it was floating. Bending over, I tucked it in with my white belly feathers, enough so that it wouldn’t fall out in flight. It ended up near the patch of white covering my heart, glimmering without abandon and making its presence known.

 

    Lugia didn’t tuck my feather anywhere, but didn’t let it go either. He was still holding it with his magic when I was spreading my wings to fly and take to the skies. I didn’t exactly plan on looking back and overstaying my welcome once I was several lengths away from the summit, but it seemed Lugia wasn’t having it.

 

    “Ho-Oh!” Called out a raspy voice that memorably sounded a lot like Lugia’s This time however, there was no trace of telepathy. It caught me off guard, and before I could catch myself, I was whipping around to get another glimpse at the blurry shape of my counterpart.

 

    “Stop thinking you won’t see me again. I hunt at the Tohjo Falls on the seventh day of the week. Please stop by sometime.” I flashed him a good nature smiled, and nodded to show that I had heard him. The draconic legend cracked a smile of his own, and waved me off with a content cry.

 

    That night, under the starry night sky and snowy enclosure lit by candlelight, I couldn’t deny my heart feeling lighter than ever.

                                                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                 


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